July 10, 2013

1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India


History:
1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India
The Thousand Pillar Temple is one of the very old temples of South India that was built by the kakatiyas. It stands out to be a masterpiece and achieved major heights in terms of architectural skills by the ancient kakathiya vishwakarma sthapathis. It is believed that the Thousand Pillar Temple was built by King Rudra Deva in 1163 AD. The Thousand Pillar Temple is a specimen of the Kakatiyan style of architecture of the 12th century.

It was destroyed by the Muslims of Tughlaq dynasty during their invasion of South India. It comprises one temple and other building. There are one thousand pillars in the building and the temple, but no pillar obstructs a person in any point of the temple to see the god in the other temple.
The present day engineers have taken out all the pillars from the building. After they lifted all the pillars they encountered a huge mass of sand. It took nearly two weeks for them to take away all the sand. It was wet sand, because of a pipe connection from the nearby water body named Bhadrakali Cheruvu.


Temple architecture
1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India
The Thousand Pillar Temple with its ruins lies in the near the Hanamkonda-Warangal highway, about 150 kilometers from Hyderabad city. This temple is star-shaped with several shrines and lingams. There are three shrines inside the temple called the Trikutalayam. The three shrines of the Thousand Pillar Temple are dedicated to Lord Shiva, Lord Vishnu and Lord Surya. The Thousand Pillar Temple is surrounded by a big garden in which many small lingam shrines can be seen. There are 1,000 richly carved pillars and a Nandi bull in the temple. The Nandi bull was carved out of a black basalt monolith that has been highly polished.

The Thousand Pillar Temple is constructed on a platform that is raised to one metre height from the ground level. The temple is provided with a number of pillars which are intricately carved and adorned. Rock cut elephants and perforated screens in the temple are characteristic of the then prevailing dynasty. 

Over view
1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India
If you want to know more about the richness of the heritage of India, make sure to visit the famous Thousand Pillar Temple - Hanamkonda. Located in Hanamkonda part of the Warangal City, Thousand Pillar Temple is a popular pilgrimage center, where thousands of devotees of all faith come here to pay their homage. The temple has an old and long history and dates back to the Chalukyan era.

1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India
Constructed in the 1163 AD by Rudra Deva, Thousand Pillar Temple in Hanamkonda is one of the finest specimens of Kakatiya architecture and sculpture. The temple depicts the typical Chalukyan style of architecture. The temple has three shrines, which are dedicated to three deities. The three presiding deities are Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Surya. Thousand Pillar Temple - Hanamkonda is really a true architectural splendor.

1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India

The temple is a star shaped architecture, which is an example of the expertise of the craftsmen of the period. The temple is supported by the richly carved out pillars. The screens and the beautiful sculptures which adorn the walls of the temple add to the magnificence of the structure. You can also find a huge monolith Nandi, which is made up of black basalt. It has a wonderful polished finish, which adds to its grandeur.

1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India

The temple stands on a platform of 1 meter, which slopes towards the Hanumakonda hill. The garden surrounding the temple is simply beautiful. Small lingam shrines adorn the garden. The garden is well maintained and has serenity around it. The chirping of the birds mingled with the ringing of the temple bells creates an aura around the Thousand Pillar Temple - Hanamkonda. Counted as one of the principal monuments in India, this temple is the biggest draw at Hanamkonda.


1163 AD Thousand pillar temple, Hanamkonda, Andhra Pradesh, India
You can reach Thousand Pillar Temple - Warangal very easily. It is connected by almost all modes of transport. The airport at Hyderabad is the nearest airport to this temple. You can access the Warangal railway station to reach to this city from other parts of the country. Regular buses ply on the roads from Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Karimnagar, Khammam and other districts of Andhra Pradesh.

During your next vacation to Warangal, visit Thousand Pillar Temple - Hanamkonda and make the most of it.


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